Harry Potter and The Rings of Courage
by potterp
Summary: Rings? Courage? Strange letters from his parents? Harry is in for a very strange year at Hogwarts. Sirius also is still alive. This story is rated M for language and later sexual content. HPGW RWHG
1. Chapter One, Late Night Letters

**Disclaimer: I'm only gonna do this once so here: Harry Potter, and all characters that are in the books are the property of Jo Rowling  
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**Chapter One, Late Night Letters**

On the night of July 24 during the summer holidays before his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter was laying on his bed at the Dursley's, reading a letter from Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, when he heard a very loud crash coming apparently from the kitchen. Snatching up his wand from his bedside table, he ran to the door and wrenched it open in time to hear his uncle Vernon yell, "Damned bloody birds!"

"What the bloody hell are you people doing?" Harry yelled at the top of his voice. But instead of his uncle yelling at him, his aunt Petunia came to him, pleading. She was crying so hard that he could only understand little bits and pieces of what she was saying.

"Please...Vernon...owl...addressed to you...Dudley tried...give...you...Vernon hit...," She began to regain her composure, "Him and knocked him out."

Harry guessed what she had said at first: Please help, an owl flew in through the kitchen window with a letter addressed to you. Dudley tried to take it and give it to you, but Vernon hit him and knocked him out.

Harry had never liked any of the Dursley's much, but he was not about to let his uncle start hitting his aunt or his cousin.

"Where's the letter?" Harry asked his aunt.

"Vernon threw it in the fireplace," she told him, "Harry, please, Vernon is still in there with Dudley."

"It's ok, Aunt Petunia. I'll take care of it," he said in a heated tone.

When he reached the kitchen door, Harry saw Vernon on top of Dudley, hitting him repeatedly in the face.

"Sectumsempra," Harry shouted the first curse that came to his mind. He realized a split second too late, that he had used to the wrong spell because deep gashes appeared all over Vernon's body, covering the floor in blood. Harry quickly ran over to his uncle and started running his wand over his uncle's body, muttering the counter-curse under his breath, as Dumbledore had taught him just a week before Severus Snape killed him on top of the astronomy tower that horrible night. Snap had invented the curse Harry had just used.

Once Harry finished mending his uncle's wounds, he immediately thought, _Levicorpus_ and flicked his wand as if he were trying to dislodge a fly from the end of it. As Vernon was being lifted up by the ankle, another owl flew through the window and dropped a letter at Harry's feet. When he picked up the letter, Harry immediately saw that it was from the Ministry of Magic. He had been expecting this; since he wasn't seventeen yet he wasn't allowed to do magic outside school. He had already been warned once and to a hearing once for doing underage magic. The hearing was because of a dementor attack during the summer of his fifth year, but that had been Fudge being the fucking prick that he was.

Harry noticed his uncle squirming around in the air, having woken up from the shock of the spell. He turned back to the letter in his hands and opened it. It read:

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We, at the Ministry, received a possession from your parents at the time you were left with your aunt and uncle. Your parents left a message with this possession, saying that you were only to recieve it when you had learned the levicorpus spell. Having just found out that you just used the levicorpus spell, we have given you this item along with a letter explaining it's properties, but we were not able to read the letter because your parents sealed it with a spell that makes it so only you can open it._

_Signed,_

_Cornelius O. Fudge_

_Minister of Magic_

Harry put the letter down, looked into the envelope, and noticed another letter appear. He withdrew the letter and tapped it with his wand; when it unfolded, he read:

_Dear Harry,_

_The ring of courage will appear in the envelope only after you have finished this letter. Having learned the levicorpus spell, you are now entitled to use the ring. The ring of courage is a powerfully magical object that when worn on the ring finger of your right hand, can issue much power to the wearer. To wear the ring, your courage, honesty, nobility, and will to act must be unwavered and unmatched. To fully activate the ring's potential, you must give it to your one true love or v. As for what powers it issues, we'll leave that for you to find out._

_Love,_

_Your Parents,_

_Lily __and James Potter_

_P.S. Don't worry about getting in trouble for using underaged magic at home; as long as you possess the ring, the Ministry won't be able to find out._

_P.S.S. Only and your soulmate can read this letter._

As Harry finished the letter from his parents, a small bulge appeared in the envelope. He stuck his hand into the envelope and his fingers closed around the ring. Harry examined the golden band with a lion's head on it. The ring seemed to emanate power and Harry could make out a strong magical aura. He slipped the ring into his pocket, not thinking twice about trying to wear it on his finger. Harry released his uncle from the levicorpus spell and bid his aunt and cousin goodbye, before apparating to the burrow.


	2. Chapter Two, Birthday Surprises

Disclaimer: See ch.1

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Chapter Two, Birthday Surprises

Harry walked down the stairs to the kitchen and sat down at the table, where Mrs. Weasley served him, Ginny, and Ron breakfast. This was Harry's third day staying at the Weasley's. So far, his two days at the Weasley's had been much better than his month and a half at the Dursley's. Harry couldn't wait until his birthday, which was in four days, even though Hermione couldn't make it to the Weasley's until a few days after his birthday.

Soon after breakfast, Ginny asked Harry to talk and they went for a walk in the woods.

"I know you think we can't be together because of some stupid noble reason, but I don't care. I love you and I always want us to be together," Ginny said.

"I love you, too, but I don't want you to get hurt. Voldemort would come after you and use you to get to me, if he knew we were together," Harry responded.

"If you don't want me to get hurt, then why are you breaking my heart?" Ginny sobbed, tears in her eyes. Harry couldn't take seeing Ginny cry like that and went over to her and hugged her. Ginny leaned into Harry's embrace and cried into his chest, while Harry gently ran his hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry, Ginny, I don't want to break your heart anymore. But before we can be together, there's something I need to tell you," he started as Ginny lifted her head up and wiped the tears from her eyes, "You see, Ginny, there is a prophecy...about me and Voldemort. The prophecy states that:

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...And either must die at the hand of the other for niether can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

"Oh Harry," Ginny said and began crying into Harry's chest, again.

"Now that you know, it's ok if you don't want to be with me," Harry said.

Ginny picked her head up and kissed Harry deeply, before saying, "I still want to be with you, to face V-Voldemort with you."

Harry pulled the letter from his parents and the ring of courage from his pocket, and began reading the letter aloud to Ginny. She interrupted him in the middle of the letter to ask, "Who's handwriting is that?"

"You can read it?" he asked, astonished.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be able to?" she asked.

Unable to speak, Harry handed Ginny the letter to her to read for herself. She blinked the tears from her eyes and read the letter to herself. Once finished, Ginny said, "I...It's from your...parents?"

Still unable to find his voice, Harry only nodded his head yes.

Ginny looked down at the letter and finished reading, her eyes bulged in surprise as she read that only Harry's soulmate could read the letter. She looked at Harry in the eyes and knew it was the truth. Harry held the ring out to Ginny, and proposed, "Seeing as we're soulmates and all...will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Ginny exclaimed, letting Harry put the ring on her ring finger. As soon as the ring slipped onto her finger, a second ring appeared on Harry's finger.

Harry and Ginny walked back to the burrow with messed up hair and rumpled clothes. They did their best to straighten out their appearances before entering the house. Mrs. Weasley eyed them curiously as they walked in.

"What have you two been up to?" she asked, suspiciously.

"We just...," Harry started.

"Went for a walk," Ginny finished his sentance for him.

The two had decided to keep their engagement a secret, until Harry's birthday. Mrs. Weasley didn't say anything, but she didn't look reassured by their answers and her suspicions remained.

On the day before his birthday, Ginny told Harry that she had a special present for that night. Harry couldn't stand waiting for his present, knowing well what it would probably be. The rest of the day seemed to go by agonizingly slow, especially with Ginny flirting with him throughout the day. Aside from Ginny's teasing and Mrs. Weasley's suspicious looks, the day was pretty much uneventful. By the time the day was over, the tension had become increasingly horrible and Harry was a nervous wreck. He pretended to go to bed, until Ron fell asleep (he knew Ron was asleep from the heavy snores), and then snuck into Ginny's room as planned.

"So, where's my gift?" Harry asked, pretending to be none the wiser of his gift.

Ginny dropped her nightgown to the floor, revealing her perfectly naked body.

"Right here."

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The next morning, Harry and Ginny woke up to Hermione walking into the room, saying, "Hey, Ginny have you seen...what the bloody hell are you two doing sleeping in the same bed?"

Harry was so shocked by her that he jumped out of bed, still naked, and quickly covered himself with his shirt from the floor. Hermione's eyes bulged as she realized both Harry and Ginny were naked.

"W...what were y...you doing?" Hermione stuttered, obviously flabbergasted.

Harry and Ginny blushed crimson and Ginny stuck her head under the covers, in an attempt to hide.

"Uhh...well...happy birthday, Harry," Hermione said awkwardly and left the room.

Harry hurredly put his clothes on and rushed out of the room, practically jumping down the stairs.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Hermione, Ron, Bill, and Charlie exclaimed as he got to the living room. Ginny came down a few minutes later, fully dressed and joined the party. Harry got homemade chocolates from Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley, Fred and George gave him a bunch of merchandise from their joke shop, Hermione gave him a book on Advanced Spells and a card that said:

Happy Birthday, Harry.

P.S. I won't tell anyone about this morning.

Ron gave him a cracked foe glass that he suspected at one point had been owned by the imposter moody that had taught them in their fourth year, Bill gave him a book on Ancient Runes, and Charlie gave him a very thick book on Dragons.

"What did you get for Harry, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked Ginny, noticing she hadn't given him a gift.

"Well...," Ginny started.

Harry stepped by Ginny's side, and said, "Me and Ginny are engaged. That's all the present I need."

Everyone's reaction was immediate; Mrs. Weasley merely gasped, Mr. Weasley gulped and put an arm around Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Ron, Bill, and Charlie looked absolutely horrified and ready to beat Harry to within an inch of his life, and Hermione just wore a knowing smile on her face.

Hermione was the first to break the silence, by saying, "That's great. Congragulations."

That seemed to bring everyone back to reality. Ron's face turned scarlet red and he stomped up to his room, followed by Hermione.

"That's-," Fred started.

"-Sudden." finished George, "Well, we have to-"

"-Get back to the joke shop." Fred finished, before the two apparated.

Bill and Charlie exchanged glances and excused themselves, after a brief congragulation.

"No," Mrs. Weasley said, "No way. You two are way too young."

"We were in our seventh year when we got married, Molly," reminded Mr. Weasley.

"But we were in love," she said.

"But we are in love,and if you can't see that you're just blind mum." Ginny said, moving closer to Harry who put a protective arm around ginny's shoulders.  
"No. My baby is not getting married, not until you're older," Molly said.

"I'm not a baby! And we're getting married no matter what you say so just drop it!" Ginny exploded.

"We're calling Sirius on this," Mrs. Weasley rasped through clenched teeth and walked off, dragging an amused-looking Mr. Weasley with her into the kitchen.

"Sirius?" said Ginny.

"I wonder why they want Sirius to come. He'll probably just congragulate us and wink at me," Harry said.

"Probably," Ginny said.

"Don't count on it," Mrs. Weasley yelled from the kitchen.

Harry and Ginny burst out laughing apon hearing that. Once they recouped from their laughter, they started making out.

Sirius appeared with a pop as they were kissing.

"Is that you, Sirius?" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.

"Yes, it's me, Molly." Sirius replied smiling at Harry and Ginny, "I see you two have become close." he added.

Instead of replying, Harry and Ginny continued to explore each other's mouths. Molly walked into the living room without Harry or Ginny noticing. Sirius couldn't help but laugh at the look on Molly's face. Molly cleared her throat, waiting for the two to break apart. Harry fell on the floor, and Sirius helped him up still wearing a sly grin.

"You see, Sirius, they're engaged without telling any of us. And Ginny's only 16. can you believe it?" Molly said, outraged.

"Oh, I believe it," said Sirius, still grinning at Harry and Ginny.

Appalled, Molly said, "Sirius, they're engaged! Don't you have anything to say about it?"

"You're right," Sirius turned to Harry and patted him on the back, "Congragulations, you two."

Molly's face turned almost purple and she began yelling at Sirius, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN CONGRAGULATIONS? THEY'RE TOO YOUNG TO BE ENGAGED!"

"If memory serves me correctly, you and Arthur were married at 17," Sirius pointed out.

Mrs. Weasley, recognizing defeat, slumped down on the couch and went silent. Ginny went to her mother's side and said, "It's ok, mum. I love Harry and he loves me. I think there's a letter you should read." Harry handed Mrs. Weasley the letter from the Ministry and left her to read it. Once she was finished, Mrs. Weasley looked up. Harry handed her the letter from his parents.

"There's nothing written on this," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Exactly. Only me and my soulmate can read it. Ginny is the one who can read it," Harry explained.

Ginny took the letter from her mother and began reading it aloud, "Dear Harry, The ring of courage will appear in the envelope only after you have finished this letter. Having learned the levicorpus spell, you are now entitled to use the ring. The ring of courage is a powerfully magical object that when worn on the ring finger of your right hand, can issue much power to the wearer. To wear the ring, your courage, honesty, noblety, and will to act must be unwavered and unmatched. To fully activate the ring's potential, you must give it to your one true love or soulmate. As for what powers it issues, we'll leave that for you to find out.

Love, Your Parents, Lily and James Potter.  
P.S. Don't worry about getting in trouble for using underaged magic at home; as long as you possess the ring, the Ministry won't be able to find out.  
P.S.S. Only and your soulmate can read this letter."

"B...but I thought the rings of courage were a myth," Molly said.

Sirius took Harry's hand and examined the ring on his finger. "That's the ring of courage. It used to belong to James, and Ginny has Lily's," he said.

"So that means you two are...soulmates?" asked Mrs. Weasley, no more than a whisper.

Harry put an arm around Ginny and looked her in the eyes, before turning back to Mrs. Weasley, and saying, "Yes, and I wouldnt want it any other way."

Ginny propped her head between Harry's shoulder and neck in agreement.

"So...when's the wedding?" Sirius asked suddenly, broadly grinning.

Harry and Ginny had discussed this and they figured around Christmas time, that way they could have the wedding during the holidays.

"We were thinking around Christmas," said Ginny.

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A/N: Well, theres chapter 2!! i hope yall like it; if you dont just tell me and ill do what i can to fix it.

panther73110: Thank you for the compliment. No Lily and James are not coming back sorry. I just dont know how they would act. Harry might have a few dreams about them but nothing more than that, sorry.

Ok people just r&r and ill write. Keep in mind that i most likely will accept new ideas since im just making this up as i go along so hell help me out; ill love it iff you do!! Well ill see you in chapter 3.


	3. Chapter Three, Strange Discoveries

**Disclaimer: See ch.1**

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Chapter Three, Strange Discoveries

Harry tried to fix his horribly messed up hair, but found it impossible to straighten completely. He pushed a cart with his and Ginny's trunks through platform 9 and 3/4, followed closely by Ginny. They had all rode their brooms to the platform this time, Hermione having to ride on the same broom as Ron. The four of them loaded their trunks onto the Hogwart's Express and found an empty compartment to sit in. Ginny was sleeping, with her head propped on Harry's shoulder. As the scenery outside the steadily darkening window became wilder, the towns dissapearead replaced by farms and woods.

After about two hours, the silhouette of Hogwarts was visible, glittering with a stray light here and there.

"We'd better change into our robes," said Ginny who had woken up a few minutes ago.

Not long after they had finished putting on their robes the train started to slow down and finally came to a complete stop. As they were nearing one of the thestral-drawn carridges, they spotted Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle walking towards them.

"So Potter's decided to come back after all." Sneered Malfoy.

All Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione did in response was to turn swiftly and yell "stupify,incarcerous, silencio!"

Harry and Ginny had cast stupify, Ron had cast incarcerous, and Hermione had cast silencio.

"Well now that thats taken care of shall we get in the carridge?" harry asked his freinds and fiance.

"Yes i think we shall" ginny replied

As they were making there way into the castle harry tripped and hit his head on the stone steps. the last thing he remembered seeing before he passed out was the sight of ginny running towards him shouting his name and a stray word leaving his lips.

"Ginny..."

"Oh Harry please be ok, please, please be ok! Harry! Harry!" Ginny shouted as she ran towards Harry.

oh Harry i hope your ok. Ginny thought as she lay with harry in the hospital wing.

dont worry i am.

Ginny looked up at Harry alarmed, for she thought she had just heard him say he was ok.

"Harry was that you?"

Harry being unconscious at the time did not answer.

An idea struck ginny.

Harry can you hear me?

of course why wouldn't i be able to hear you love? Harry responded.

Ginny was ready for it this time. She had heard Harry's voice in her head and she had spoken to him in the same way.

harry we're speaking telepathically!

tele-what?

telepathically, harry...mind-to-mind.

how?

i dont know harry but i think it has to do with you hiting your head.

ginny i think your right. i think we would have gained this ability anyways but we just recieved it sooner when i hit my head...

no sooner then harry had finished his sentence did a letter appear in ginny's lap. she quickly slit open the letter and read:

Dear Ginny,

if you are reading this letter that means you and harry have developed a mind-to-mind connection. with this connection you will talk, always know how the other feels, know why the other is mad if one of you is, and heres the important one, you will always be able to locate harry and he you anywhere on earth. you will also feel pain if harry does and vice versa. this ability is my favorite, apparation wards will mean nothing to you and you dont need a license to apparate; the ministry already knows you are soulmates and if you get caught apparating just show them the rings and they will leave you alone. also if you ever want to be with each other just locate him and think of being with him (harry can apparate to your side at will also). oh yes almost forgot; when one of you is unconscious the other can wake you with a kiss. well thats all for now...you will recieve your next ability soon and again you will get a letter. anyone that is able to read this letter it is because you let them.  
bye for now.

Love,  
Lily and James Potter

P.S.: have the wedding soon.

Ginny read the letter three times over before reading it to Harry (telepathically obviously),and leaning over to kiss his lips. As her lips touched harry's a sudden feeling of such joy, such elation flooded over her. she felt Harry's arms wrap around her waist and pull hr closer to deepen the kiss. the stayed like that for nearly two hours and then just drifted off to sleep. Unknown to either Harry or Ginny three things happened in a very quick succession as the kissed. the first being that McGonagall looked up from her paperwork and made her way to the hospital wing. the second being that thay brought voldemort to his knees screaming in pure agony holding his head in the same place that Harry's scar was. the third was that an invisible shield erected itself around their bed.

Professor McGonagall walked into the infirmiry and stopped almot at once, for there was a very strong continuous pulse of very stong magical power coming from one of the beds. She walked over to the bed and found Harry and Ginny aleep there. She smiled and went to sit in the chair on the side of the bed only to come in contact with the shield that had been erected.

"What the bloody hell!?!" McGonagall said to herself.

Appearantly Harry and Ginny could feel it if someone hit their shield because they woke with a slight start and had their wands drawn. After realizing who it was they returned their wands to their robes.

"Hello Professor McGonagall." Harry said smiling.

"Mr...Mr. Potter please explain this." McGonagall said with a look of complete confusion on her face.

"which 'this' Professor; Ginny and me in the same bed or me being awake?" Harry asked .

"uhh..um...well both." said McGonagall in shock at being asked that so directly and by a student even if it was Harry Potter.

"well Professor Ginny is in my bed because when i woke up we were kissing and when we stopped we fell asleep holding each other. I'm awake because...well...Ginny do you have my mum's note?"

"Yes i do; its right here." Ginny said pulling out the note.

As McGonagall read the note her eyes widened more and more with every line she completed. When she finished she said "What does this mean abilities?"

"Well Professor you see my parents left me the Rings of Courage and they give us abilities that we wouldnt normaly have..."

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**A/N: Hello to all of my lovely readers...even that rough 280 of you that don't review!! I am in the process of writing chapter 4...the name will be Promotions. like I said before help me out and give me ideas cuz you never know I might have writers block...like i do now lol.**

**Now back to that very high number of people that don't review...please review, i love criticism, yes even the bad kind; so review.**

**potterp  
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	4. Chapter Four, Promotins

**Disclaimer: See ch.1**

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Chapter Four, Promotions

"You are cleared to go Mr. Potter, but i don't want to see you in here for another month at least." said Madam Pomfrey with a stern look on her face but her eyes were soft.

Harry smiled, "Now Madam Pomfrey, you and I both know that it just wouldn't be a normal year if I wasn't in here at least one or two times."

"When has the last six years been normal for you Mr. Potter? In your first year you were only in here once if I remember correctly,and that was when you saved the Sorcerer's Stone. In your second year you were in here once that I remember, which was when that complete fool Lockhart de-boned your arm. In third year there was the first day because you were attacked by a dementor on the train." Harry distinctly heard her say 'Foul creatures!","Then you fell about a hundred feet from your broom from dementors again. Then again at the end of your third year you took got rid of about a hundred dementors. In your fourth year you were in that damned tournament, I dont even want to go into that..."

By this time Pomfrey realized that Harry and Ginny were no longer standing there; instead some second years had stopped to listen to her rant. Embarrassed, she turned on her heel and went back into the infirmary rather quickly.

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Later that day found Harry and Ginny alone under the very beech tree by the lake that the Marauders sat under when they went to Hogwarts. Harry got the impression that if he just looked at the bank of the lake, he would see a pretty redhead by the name of Lily Evans.

It's strange. harry said silently to his beautiful fiancee.

What's that love?

Well my parents are dead...how are they sending me letters?

I don't think anyone but them can answer that. Look on the pright side; at least you have something from them that is worth more than any amount of gold.

thanks gin. With that Harry captured Ginny's lips with his own in a fiery passionate kiss that made then both forget anything else existed but the person in their arms. Harry brushed his tongue along her bottom lip, wanting entrance which ginny gladly granted him. He let his tongue trace and stroke hers while his hands slid from her hips. One hand wend up her shirt over her wonderfully smoothe, flat stomach. The other went up her side and into that georgious red hair that he loved so much.

Harry tilted her head back and deepened the kiss causing Ginny to moan in her longing, but she knew they could do little more than kiss and touch what with there being so many people out.

Harry pulled away and got out his wand. "visualis unus"(A.N.: the first 'u' in unus makes the 'oo' sound as the second 'u' makes the 'i' sound ans in moo and mist.)

Where and when did you learn that harry, Ginny asked. and what does it do?

Well love it creates a one-way effect that lets us see what's around us-

What do the others see? Ginny cut him off.

I was just getting to that. It lets us see what's around us but anyone that looks at us will only be able to see uss sleeping against the tree. If they try to come near us they will hit our shield.

Oh... Ginny let the sentence hang.

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A.N.: Haha.. Sorry guys that's just a taste for now! Evil huh lol

well all i have to say is review because i won't post another chapter until i get 15 reviews and no they cant all be from the same person and i will only count the ones that have more to go on than 'write more!' or 'good story!'

well good night to you all,

potterp

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